A suspected loan shark was granted bail on Tuesday after he pleaded not guilty to allegedly pocketing some €23,000 through excessive rates of interest over sums lent to various victims. 

Omar Attard, a 45-year-old Rabat resident, was arraigned on Tuesday following investigations into claims that he had lent money at interest rates in excess of legal limits. 

He was also charged with exercising a pretended right by forcing his alleged victims to honour their obligations. 

Prosecuting Inspector George Frendo said that the sums extorted from the various victims allegedly totalled around €23,000. 

The man’s lawyers, Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia, put forward a request for bail, pointing out that the accused had a clean criminal record. 

After hearing submissions by both parties and after noting that the prosecution did not object to bail, as long as adequate conditions were imposed, the court upheld the request. 

Magistrate Astrid May Grima granted the man bail against a deposit of €1,000 and a personal guarantee of €10,000. He has to sign the bail book twice a week. 

The court also issued a protection order in favour of the alleged victims.